Cotton chopper and cultivator.



PATENTED JAN. 22, 1907.

J. FRANKLIN.

COTTON CHOPPER AND GULTIVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR.17, 1906.

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J. FRANKLIN. COTTON CHOPPER AND GULTIVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APB..17, 1906.

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JOHN FRANKLIN, OF GREENVILLE, ALABAMA.

COTTON CHOPPER AND CULTIVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 22, 1907.

- Application filed April 17. 1906. Serial No. 312,150.

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN FRANKLIN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Greenville, in the county of Butler and State of Alabama, have invented new and useful Improvements in Cotton Choppers and Cultivators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in cotton choppers and cultivators and it consists of the novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of the device. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a crosssection on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the chopping-wheel. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the drive-shaft and drive-gear thereon. Fig.6 is a detail view showing the adjustable connection between the harrow or rake teeth and the frame.

Referring to the drawings, 1 denotes the frame of the implement, which is of diamond form and comprises front and rear pairs of diagonally-arranged beams 2 and 3, respectlvely, said beams being connected and braced by front and rear cross-bars 4 and 5. A tongue 6 is pivotally mounted between the front ends of the beams 2 upon a transverse pivot-bolt 7 and is adj ustably connected with the cross-bar 4, the rear end of the tongue and the cross-bar being respectively provided with cooperating apertured coupling members 8 and 9 adapted to be connected in fixed relation by a pin or bolt 10, whereby the tongue may be adjusted to set at any desired angle and regulate the draft of the machine. I i

A main shaft 11 extends transversely across the center of the frame and is journaled at its ends in bearings on the side corner portions of the frame and carries groundwheels 12, which may be connected there with in any known or preferred manner to adapt the implement to be easily turned. The shaft 11 is squared between its end journals or provided with a squared portion for the reception of a sleeve 13, carrying a drivegear 14, said sleeve 13 being provided with a set-screw 15 to fix it in adjusted position.-

The gear 14 meshes with a toothed choppingwheel 16, mounted on a shaft 17, extending longitudinally of and in the center line of the frame and journaled at its ends in the crossbars 4 and 5. The wheel 16 carries a series of chopping hoes or blades 18, extending radially therefrom, each blade having a curved spring-shank 19, slidably engaging a supporting-lug 20 on the wheel, which lug is provided with a set-screw 21 to secure the shank thereto. By this construction the hoes may be radially adjusted to suit varying levels of the front portion of the frame.

It will be understood that when the gear 14 is in engagement with the gear 16 the chopp1ng-wheel will be rotated and will thin out or reduce the row of plants to stands. By varying the number of chopping-hoes and arranging them at different distances apart the stands may be spaced as required.

The adjustable connection of the sleeve 13 with the shaft 11 enables the gear 14 to be thrown into and out of mesh with the gear 16 to start or stop the operation of the chopper.

Anarched shaft or axle 22 extends transversely at the rear of the frame and carries trail-wheels 23. The shaft is supported by brackets 24, each of which is provided with an upwardly-extending post or stem 25, the two posts or stems being angularly arranged with respect to the brackets and extended upwardly through slots in the beams 3 and provided with series of openings 26 for the passage of bolts 27-to secure them to the beams. By this means the trail-wheels may be adjusted into and out of contact with the ground and when in contact with the ground to support the frame at a desired level, ac cording to the arrangement of the tongue 6. These wheels steady the frame and action of the implement, as will be readily understood.

An arched bar 28 is arranged above the shaft 1.1 and terminally secured to the side corner portions of the frame. This bar serves as a brace-support for a standard 29, carrying a drivers seat 30. The standard 29 preferably consists of a strip or strap of metal secured at one end to the bar 5, curved upwardly and forwardly beneath the bar 28, and bent to form a loop 31, engaging the bar, the opposite end ofthe strip extending rearwardly from said loop and supporting the drivers seat.

Arranged at the front and rear of the frame are sets of harrow or rake teeth 32 and 33, comprising de ending rods having forwardly bent or turne lower ends 34 to work the soil, the upper end of each rod being threaded, as shown at 35 in Fig. 6, to engage a threaded opening in the frame. As shown, the two sets of harrow or rake teeth are mounted in such manner in the beams 2 and 3, each set disposed in a V-shaped row to accord with the diagonal arrangement of the beams. When the teeth are in working arrangement, with their bent lower ends forwardly projecting, the forward set of teeth 32 Will cultivate or work the ground, after which the choppingwheel will thin out the plants, and the rear set of teeth 33 will finally throw fresh earth toward the plants. By the use of a wrench or other similar tool the teeth may be turned to adjust them above the earths surface or to reverse them halfeway around, so that the bent ends thereof will drag over the surface of the ground and act as rakes or scrapers to remove the thinned-out plants and weeds or other trash.

From the foregoing description the construction and mode of use of the implement will be readily understood by those versed in the art, and it will be apparent that a simple and effective construction of device is provided for the purposes stated.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is A cotton-chopper comprising a frame with transverse cross-b ars secured thereto, a transverse squared shaft having a gear-wheel with a sleeve slidably mounted on said shaft, said sleeve being provided with a set-screw for adjusting said wheel, a longitudinal shaft ournaled in said cross-bars and having a gear- Wheel loosely mounted thereon, meshing with the gear-wheel on the transverse shaft, said gear-wheel on the iongitudinai shaft having lugs radially arranged on its outer face portion, chopping-blades having arms mounted in the lugs having set-screws in connection therewith serving to adjust the arms of the chopping-blades, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN FRANKLIN.

Witnesses J. F. JOHNSON, E. G. PARKER. 

